On Arunachal Pradesh’s remote frontier with China and Myanmar, where government hospitals struggle to function due to severe manpower shortages, NGO-run health centres have become the lifeline for thousands of residents. The Kalikho Pul Memorial District Hospital at Hayuliang, the main government health facility in Anjaw district, is operating with limited doctors and no specialists. Most crucially, the absence of gynaecologists has left expectant mothers and women patients in a vulnerable state. Patients in need of specialised treatment often have no option but to travel long distances—sometimes to Tezu Zonal Hospital in Lohit district or even as far as Dibrugarh in Assam.
Against this backdrop, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) managed by the Karuna Trust under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model have stood out as reliable alternatives. Operating in difficult terrain in towns such as Kaho and Walong, these centres offer regular consultations, free medicines, and assured primary healthcare services. For people living in one of India’s most strategically sensitive border belts, these facilities are often the only accessible point of medical care. Deputy Commissioner of Anjaw, Millo Kojin, admitted that the shortage of manpower at the district hospital has become a pressing issue. “We urgently need specialists to be deputed here. The lack of medical services is forcing people to leave the district even for basic treatment. This is not sustainable,” he said. At the same time, he praised the contribution of Karuna Trust in ensuring that no village is left completely without access to healthcare.
Doctors working under the NGO say the PPP model has transformed the healthcare landscape in difficult-to-reach parts of Arunachal. Dr. Ramesh Jakir, Medical Officer at Walong PHC, recalled that Karuna Trust began its initiative in the state in 2005 by taking charge of a centre in Kurung Kumey. Over the years, the model has expanded to 13 PHCs across Arunachal Pradesh, steadily strengthening local healthcare systems. “Our aim has always been to deliver quality healthcare to people irrespective of their income or location. In border districts like Anjaw, the impact is clearly visible,” Dr. Jakir explained.
